Wildflower
by Fyrefli
Summary: After being kicked out her own house, a friend of Ephram and Delia's comes to Everwood, bringing much more with her then the two could ever imagine.
1. Default Chapter

*** Disclaimer - I don't know any of the cast members of Everwood or anyone who has anything to do with the show... (at least to the extent of my knowledge, course that is also extremely limited :o)) Please r/r all comments welcome, particularly flames, and suggestions. Don't be afraid to say anything, the nastier the better...(Oh! And excuse the town name spellings... I'm Canadian.:o)) -FF ***  
  
  
-- Chapter 1 --  
  
They say Everwood is a place to start over. A little place just far enough out of the way to let you lose your troubles, but still be close enough to home to be at least semi-comfortable. But what if two of these 'new beginings' were to cross? Could they blend together to enlighten two, or result in disaster?  
  
As she traced the small circle on the lightly frosted train window, she couldn't help but sigh. She still wasn't sure if she liked the idea of coming to Colorado. She could get away from everything that was pulling her down, but she was also leaving behind all her friends, her mother. And Corey. The thought of him still drove her wild, even after the way he treated her. But it wasn't his fault, was it? Her news shocked everyone. A passenger behind her coughed loudly, scaring her out of her thoughts. She returned to her window drawings, tracing out a large bubbled C. Under that, she wrote another name, another spirit she hadn't managed to get over yet, either. Ephram.  
  
  
"Earth to space cadet, come back to me!" Amy snapped her fingers in front of Ephram's face. He blinked a couple of times, then focused his big blue eyes on her.   
  
"Sorry, just thinking." Amy motioned for him to move over, and he scooted a small way down the bench. She slowly picked out a bit of 'Heart and Soul', the one piece of music anyone could learn to play on the piano.  
  
"Really?" She asked, smiling brightly as he began to add the accompaniment. "'bout what?"   
  
"Some people in New York I knew." Caught in the moment, he began to open up, just a bit, unable to meet Amy's eyes as he told her about a few of the kids he hung with at home. "This one girl, she could sing just as well as you could dance." The practice room was empty, and dark. All the dancers had long since gone home, much as the rest of the schools population, including the staff. Ephram had decided to stay because simply because it was so quiet. So peaceful. Of course, it was quiet at home as well, his father was working late tonight, and Delia was at Nina's, playing with Sam. "Before she came, there was this guy, Corey. He's two years older than I am, yeah? He was the wildest guy I've met in my life. Partying every night, usually hopped up on something just to be able to make it through the day. Man, this guy musta had money trees covering every inch of his yard. His family wasn't the most priviledged ever, but they were comfortable."  
  
"Did they know about his drug problem?" Amy asked, giving up on the song. Ephram nodded, pulling the cover of the piano down over the keys. "And they just left him to it?"  
  
"What could they do?" He asked, resting his head on her hands, elbows on the cover. He turned slightly to glance at the clock. "He was in and out of rehab already."  
  
"Wow." Amy followed suit with the clock-glance. 4:04.  
  
"Yeah. Anyways. Most of us were really starting to get worried. I mean, he was losing weight like crazy, and his eyes... they were so intelligent when I first met him, but then... he was just fading, ya know." He finally managed to meet Amy's eyes, and she nodded, listening intently. "No one knew what to do with him, and I didn't want him to end up hanging in a closet somewhere, or icy in a gutter from some badly cut coccaine. Then she came. I think he loved her from the moment he saw her. And surprisingly enough, she fell for him as well. I don't know what she saw. All we saw was a walking skeleton."  
  
"That would be scary." She rested at head on his arm briefly, wondering what she would do if she were ever faced with anything like that. In a way it was like Colin, but in so many others it wasn't. "Well? Finish the story."   
  
"It's not really a story." Ephram said, grinning. "But yeah. He absolutely worshipped her. And slowly, he started to come off the drugs. There must've been a string of rough nights for him, but she was always by his side. Getting him to eat, keeping him in more often. I don't know if she even realized she was doing it or not. She'd just gone through her parents rough divorce, and was in about as rough a shape as he was. Minus the drugs. They were each others rehab." He paused again, lost in memory. "Mom loved Corey. She always defended him, saying he was just in the wrong spot at the wrong time. Another innocent soul that'd lost it's way. Then one day, he smacked me upside the back of my head." Ephram laughed softly to himself, nodding at that specific memory.   
  
Amy blinked, and raised a brow. "So?" He really laughed then, turning to view her confused face.  
  
"Sorry. No, that was how he liked to say hi to me for whatever reason. And it was the first time he'd done it in nearly a year. I turned around, and there he stood. Exactly the same as he'd been before the drugs, before the parties. He was our Corey again. Because of her."  
  
"Yeah, well, does 'her' have a name at all? You make her out to be such a hero, but you haven't named her once." Amy glanced at the clock again. 4:22. She couldn't believe he'd been talking for nearly twenty minutes now. "And besides. From they way you talk about her, you'd think you had a crush."  
  
"Angel. Believe it or not." He scoffed slightly. "Maybe I did." 


	2. Chapter 2

-- Chapter 2 --  
  
  
The train slowly rolled to a stop with a loud hiss. This stop was the last on it's route tonight, and everyone left on the train piled off as if in a sleepy daze. A bitter-cold wind blew across the sliding doors as Angel stepped down, and she snuggled a little further into her slightly thin jacket. "Jesus. No one mentioned the cold." She whispered as if to calm herself, and found her way into the station. She wasn't surprised no one was here to meet her yet; rarely was anyone on time in her family. A row of phone lined a side wall, and she made her way over, absently pulling her hair into a half-ponytail, half-bun with an elastic she'd forgotten was around her wrist.   
  
First she called her father to let him know she was here. He told her he'd be there in the next hour or so to get her, in a tone that was slightly sharp, but nonetheless comforting. Next, she dialed a number she'd called many time over the last couple of days, with no answer any time.  
  
"Hey! This is Corey. You've called my brand spanking new apartment! Yay! I finally got my own place. Anyways," the voice was interupted by a soft voice in the back. Her own. "Shut up Angel. Heh. Yeah, so like, leave a message and I will call you back as soon as possible. If I remember." It beeped once, and the line opened up.   
  
"Corey. It's Angel. I'm in Colorado now. You can call my cellphone, or call my dad's place... it's 1-323-555-3324 there. Please call me. I miss you. Just let me know your alive... I'll be here at the trainstation for an hour or so, so call my cell til then. Anyways. Please. Just call? I love you so much, Corey. We both need you right now..." A tear fell from her eye slowly, tickling as it slid down the ski-jump curve of her nose. Angel couldn't remember at time when she'd felt more depressed, or more alone. Making her way to a free bench, she stretched out, dropping her bags on the floor beside her. She pulled her little phone out of her purse, making sure it was on, just in case.   
  
The minutes crept by slowly at first, the seconds feeling like an eternity. Then she began to drift, and eventually dozed off. Muffled by her purse and bags, and fast asleep, she never heard her cellphone as it finally rang.  
  
  
* --- --- * ------ *   
  
  
Saturday was a clear, cold day, with everyone out and about, rushing around for Christmas. Delia was the only one managing to get any shopping done, being small enough to slip in and around pushy customers. "You think Dad would like this?" She popped up in right in Ephram's face, who jumped, caught completely off-guard. He didn't even look at what it was, and just nodded.   
  
"Yeah, whatever. Who else do you have to buy for?" He asked, staring intently at a row of necklaces and bracelets that were closed away behind the finger-print smudged, but relatively clear safety glass.   
  
"You, which I'm obviously not going to get right now,"  
  
"No kiding."  
  
"Interupting is rude -"  
  
"Sorry kiddo." Ephram took a moment to turn and offer the best excuse of a smile he could.  
  
"Ephram! Anyway. Do you think I should get something for Edna?"   
  
"Yeah, sure. Go ahead." he glanced around, catching Amy walking by just out of the corner of his eye. "Listen... You go, get whatever, you got money left right?" She nodded quickly, though he wasn't looking at her. "Meet me in the park across the street in an hour. Got it?"  
  
"Yes!" Delia nodded again, though that wasn't seen either. Ephram took off out of the store, and down the street leaving her to her gift-buying. "Jerk." She muttered, leaving the store as well. The wind wasn't quite as chilly as it had been in the past few days, and it was still very cold, with the constant threat of snowfall always in the air. The park was just as crowded as the streets were, and she finally managed to snag a spot on a bench, warm from the last person to sit there. Delia still a bit of shopping to do, but she was practically asleep on her feet already, and they'd only been out for two hours. She was snuggling a litte further into her coat when the girl sat across from her. Delia examined the visible bit of her face slowly, for most it was covered in a bright blue scarf. "Angel!" She practically screamed after a few minutes, and leapt on her, practically smothering her with a hug.   
  
"Delia! Hey baby. How are you?" Angel laughed for the first time in weeks, and returned the smothering. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"I could ask you the same thing. We live here now. Ephram will be happy to see you. Is Corey here too?" Angel's happy look fell quickly, and she didn't answer. "Oh. Yeah. Well, my dad works in the building over there."  
  
"Isn't that a train station?" Angel asked, squinting through her sunglasses.   
  
"It used to be, I think." Delia nodded, scanning the street for any sign of her brother, or at least Amy. She'd know where he was.   
  
Angel's elation returned, and though it wasn't quite as nice as it had been ealier when Delia jumped on her, it was still nice to feel anything but blue. "I'm sure Dr. Brown fixed it all up properly."   
  
"Will you excuse me for a second?" Delia said sudenly, practically leaping from the bench. The cold long forgotten, she went tearing down the sidewalks, her lungs half-frozen. "Ephram! Ephram!" She caught him around the waist, and nearly fell. They both slid, and Ephram whirled, expecting her to be maimed, or worse.   
  
"What the hell, Delia? You scared the shit out of me." He said, checking her once over quickly. Since their mother had passed away, he'd felt more like he needed to take care of her, though they'd always gotten along. "Where's the fire?"  
  
"No where, but Angel's here!" She gasped after a moment, stepping back a little.   
  
"That's really not cool, Delia. Seriously." He said, a slightly more scolding note then he'd meant slipping into his voice.   
  
"I'm not kidding, Ephram."  
  
"She's not." Angel appeared from up the road, putting her black-gloved hands on Delia's shoulders with such a calm, reserved move it was hard not to notice her. "Hi Ephram."  
  
"Angel..." He wrapped his arm's around her neck, Delia slipping out at the very last second. "I missed you." His voice was muffled in the hood of her coat.  
  
"I missed you too." She said, holding him close a moment longer than she should've. She felt a warm hand on her midsection, and she knew she'd been caught. "Corey's." She said after a few seconds. She'd only been showing for last couple of days, and even then it was easy enough to hide visually, but to touch, it was undeniable.   
  
"Your pregnant." Ephram whispered, his bright blue eyes alive with shock. "How far along?"  
  
"About 17 weeks." She whispered, watching the white clouds of her breath float away.   
  
"Wow. That's a bit of a shock..."  
  
"No kidding."  
  
  
* --- --- * ------ *   
  
  
"Dad lives a couple blocks away from here, actually." Angel explained as they turned up the front steps of the Brown's home. "Corey won't talk to me, so I can't stay at his apartment, and Mom kicked me out. So it was this, or a group home. Been there, done that, it's not pleasent."   
  
"Was that before you came to New York?" Ephram asked, struggling to unlock the door with mostly frozen fingers. He knew he should've picked up some gloves before he left but Delia had been in such a hurry. Angel took the keys from him, and unlocked the door quietly.   
  
"No. It was just after I'd gotten there. See, Mom and I lived in New York for a couple months before I started at that school." she explained, following Ephram into the blessed warmth of the house. Delia, who'd been listening silently behind them the whole way home, dumped her coat and things by the door, and took off for the television set. Rather then yell at her like he normally would've, Ephram picked everything up without a word, and put it away.   
  
"Hungry?" He asked Angel after a moment, glancing back over his shoulder. She dangled the keys with a grin, and nodded.   
  
"A bit. But it's alright. I'll grab something when I get home."   
  
"No, it's cool. Come on." He turned towards the kitchen, and Angel took a moment to really look over the boy she thought she'd truly known. He'd grown a lot since she'd seen him last, and Delia, who she'd babysat time and again, had as well. She then followed him slowly, her steps light, and slightly cautious. Her own behaviour was starting to worry her. She'd never been so withdrawn, or quiet in her whole life. Of course, she'd never been pregnant before either. "Are you going to keep it?"  
  
"Sorry?" The question caught Angel off guard, and for that brief minute she couldn't figure out what he was talking about. Ephram pointed to a chair when she appeared in the doorway, and went back to rummaging through the cupboards.   
  
"The baby, I mean." He finally managed to search out a bag of chips, and tossed it over to her, pulling a chair across. "Are you gonna keep it?"  
  
"I don't know. I really don't know much right now. Besides the fact that I'm scared shitless." She pulled the bag open, taking the first one off the top. She played with it for a long time before finally poping it in her mouth.   
  
"Imagine what Corey's feeling." Ephram said softly, doing much the same.  
  
"Obviously nothing, or he would've called by now. Or e-mailed, or something." Angel said, running a hand through her long dark hair. She eyed him nervously, then started to weep softly. "Ephram, I'm so scared. What the fuck am I gonna do?" Tears began to well in her big, oval green eyes, and it was all he could do not to cry with her. He crossed the small gap between them, and hugged her tightly, her warm tears being silently soaked up by his shirt.   
  
"Shhh. It's ok... I'll help you." Calmy, he stroked her long hair. "Delia! Will you bring in the box of tissues please?" He called, and Delia came in obediently, the box of Kleenex outstretched. "Thanks."  
  
"What's wrong, Angel?" she asked softly, the deeply saddened greens a bit unnerving, the way they lifted from Ephram's shoulder.   
  
"Nothing, baby, it's alright. Why don't you go put a movie on, and me and Ephram will come watch it with you in a couple of minutes." Delia, liking the suggestion, nodded, and took off for the family room. "She looks happy enough here, but you look miserable. Is it like prep-overload here or something?" Forcing a choaked laugh, Ephram took one of the tissues, and gently dabbed the tears from her face, his hands surprisingly gentle. Angel laid her own over top of his, and held it to her cheek for a moment. "I missed you so much. I forgot with a great guy you were."   
  
A ray of sun filtered in through the window across from the two of them, and for that brief moment, everything was perfect. Angel forgot about the new life inside her, and Ephram forgot about his confused feelings for Amy, and his mother's death. It was like he was home again, until the snow began to fall, the tiny shadows play across Angel's face.   
  
"This is quite the love-fest."   
  
"Dad, your home earlier." Ephram jumped slightly, and returned to his chair, the Kleenex still balled up in his hand. "I don't know if you'd remember her or not, but this is Angel."  
  
A little self-conscious from this newest scrutiny, Angel relaxed when she saw Dr. Brown smile. "Angel. I think I might remember you mentioning her once or twice. You're the one with the voice, right?"  
  
"That's what everyone tells me." Angel smiled, and shrugged, overly-modest about her talent.   
  
"Ah ha." Andy laughed briefly, curious about this new girl who'd managed to snag his son's attention. "What brings you to Everwood?"  
  
"My, ahh, mother, said I needed to spend sometime with my dad, thought it would be good for me. And her, I guess." She cringed ever so slightly at the sound of the lie tumbling from her mouth, and found it hard to relax, though Andy never said anything to contest it.   
  
"Well, welcome." He smiled again, and nodded, understandingly, though he really didn't. "Delia has a movie paused in the living room, said you two were supposed to be watching it with her?"   
  
"Right, yes." Angel smiled, and took advantage of the opportunity to bow out.   
  
"She's cute." Andy commented, glancing at Ephram. "She looks older though..."  
  
"Yeah, she's a year older than I am. Dad, I really don't think you should be checking out girls my age anyways." Ephram arched a brow, snagging the bag of chips, and quickly following suit, and disappearing. 


	3. Chapter 3

**** AUTHOR'S NOTE: My computer had decided it's time to dump a powerfan, so this chapter is going to be brief until it can be sent in to be fixed. But I promise, a long chapter will be up right after it get's fixed! Anyways, I'll be in temporarily to check email between that time, so please, keep up the reviews. :o) And thank you very much for all your kind words. :o) Oh, and Ditey, THANK YOU for the lovely card. - FF ****  
  
  
-- Chapter 3 --  
  
"Delia, catch." Ephram tossed the bag of chips to her, making sure to go in close enough for her to actually catch them. "Careful, the bag's already open."  
  
"Thanks." she slid a little further into the chair, the remote clattering loudly to the floor. "Oops."  
  
"Shove down." Angel had found a nice comfortable spot, and was now being moved. How rude.   
  
"Why should I?" She asked, a playful look on her face. "I was here first."  
  
"Fine, I won't sit with you then." Sticking his tongue out at her, Ephram perched on the floor, just out of her reach.  
  
"Real mature." She swatted at the back of his head anyways, the scene more than familiar to the two. The tips of her fingers just brushed a few back strands of hair, and the wind tickled the back of his neck. She sighed loudly, playfully. "Fine!" She slid to the floor, crunching her newly-rounded belly in a quite painful way. "Jesus, ow!" She sucked in a breath, hands lifting to her stomach.  
  
"Angel!" Ephram was at her side in an instant, his hands over hers, his face dangerously close to her's. She smiled after a minute, and lightly pecked his lips, the movement originally meaning to be playful. An electric shock, probably from the carpet, spark between the two, and they both jumped. "Hey." He laughed, and hopped up on the couch, spreading out slightly. "Coming?"  
  
"In a second." Angel whispered, crossing her legs underneath her. She shouldn't've kissed him. Definatly not. She lifted a hand to her lips, glancing over at Delia. She was watching the two with curious, youthfully innocent eyes.  
  
"If you guys are done flirting..." Delia said after a minute, the remote ready between her fingers.  
  
"We're not flirting, Delia. You don't even know what that means."   
  
She pouted, shaking her head. "That's not the point, Ephram."  
  
Angel stood, pausing briefly to ruffle her hair. "I'll explain later." She sat on the very edge of the couch, and laid back, her head tucked neatly under Ephram's chin. She then stretched out her legs, tangling her feet into his, the way they'd stretched out to watch a movie so many times before, when Corey wasn't around. "I think I missed this a little more than I thought I did." She said after a few moments silence. "So how's your year gone?" She asked softly, lifting a hand, and letting it fall to the center of his chest, his heart strong against the back of her hand.   
  
"Will you two shut up and watch the movie?"  
  
"Pardon me!" Angel laughed softly, slipping an elastic bracelet from her wrist, and snapping it at Delia. "Keep it." She had about five hundred more at home. Or rather, packed away in her backpack. And so they watched in silence, Ephram and Angel snuggled together like they had done so many times before, and Delia quietly content, none of them really paying any attention to the movie. It was just relaxing to have such a feeling of home once again.  
  
  
*   
  
  
"Where's Ephram and Angel?" Andy asked when Delia came in the kitchen a couple of hours later.  
  
"Sleeping on the couch." Dragging a chair over to the counter beside her father, Delia climbed up, resting on her knees, calves tucked below her. "What's for dinner? I'm -starving-."   
  
"Oh, you don't know what starving is. Both of them are sleeping?" Delia nodded, tossing the now-emtpy chip bag on the countertop. "Yes... alright. She used to babysit you, in New York, right?" Again, Delia nodded. "Ephram's pretty close to her?"   
  
"Very. Ever since she moved there. Don't you like her?" Delia asked, the last comment so purely innocent, Andy had to laugh.  
  
"No, no. I don't mean that. How about Mama Joy's for dinner tonight?" Delia's stomach rumbled hungrily at the suggestion.   
  
"I like the way you think." Practically falling off the chair in an overwhelming effort to get up without taking too much time, the chair clattered to the floor after her. Andy picked it up, and put it away, heading into the family room to wake Ephram and Angel.   
  
Pausing in the doorway, Andy rested a hand on the frame, watching the two sleep by the light of the television screen. Angel was nestled on top of Ephram, arms wrapped around his stomach tightly. She had her back to the TV, with her head butted right up underneath his chin. A tuft of her long dark hair was resting lightly on his lips, rising and falling in his breath. Ephram had his arms stretched down over her, clasped together in the very small of her back. He moved a little in his sleep, wrapping his arms around her waist, crossing over at his elbows. The two looked so peaceful Andy almost didn't want to wake them. He jumped a little as Delia tugged on the back of his shirt, holding out Ephram's video-camera. "Here. I think he'd like it."  
  
Smiling, Andy opened it, searching out the little red record button. He shot from the doorframe, and then tiptoed around in front of them. Angel stirred a little, but didn't wake. Ephram, on the other hand, opened his eyes slowly, carefully lifting to smooth down her hair. "Yummy." He whispered, and gave a sleepy smile. "Is she sleeping?" Andy nodded, still filming the two. "What are you doing?"  
  
"Creating a memory. Delia said you two were close, but jeez." Ephram chuckled softly, tucking a bit of hair behind Angel's ear. She gasped a bit, waking quickly.   
  
"Oops." She smiled, buring a yawn in Ephram's chest, then rolling over, and nearly falling off the couch. "Sorry."  
  
"It's fine!" Andy, eager to see Ephram happy again, stopped, and closed the camera, and shut off the TV as well. "Would you like to join us for dinner at Mama Joy's, Angel?"  
  
She yawned again, covering her mouth with a hand. "That's very generous of you, but I should really head home now. But thanks." Ephram sat up, helping Angel to her feet, and walked her to the door. "I didn't think I was that tired. Tell your sister if she wants any more bracelets to let me know. I got a bunch of them."  
  
"I fell asleep too." Ephram admitted, and grinned slightly sheepishly, his cheeks reddening a bit. "When are you starting school?"  
  
"Tomorrow. I'll tackle you when I see you." She smiled, stepped out the door, and turning briefly. "And thanks. I haven't been this happy in weeks." She leaned in, and kissed his cheek gently.   
  
"No problem. Always happy to help." Ephram smiled, flushing a bit at the kiss. "And if things get rough with your Dad..."  
  
"Your door is always open right?" He nodded, taken a bit aback by the sarcasm suddenly flooding Angel's voice. "I'm sorry, Ephram. It's just, that's what Corey said the day before I told him."   
  
"Yeah, well, don't forget." Ephram said, closing the door halfway. "I'm not Corey."  
  
Angel smiled, and waiting on the porch long enough for him to shut the door. She then snuggled into her coat, and hopped down into the lightly falling snow.  
  
  
*   
  
  
"What do you mean I have to audition? How many damn people are there in this school anyway?" Angel was more then a little tired, and more then a little ready to flip out on the next person to look at her the wrong way.   
  
"Listen, Miss, if you think you can get away with disrespect like this here, you'd better think twice. This is not New York, and you are very lucky to accepted here anyways, given your little 'condition.'," The teacher snarled, waving her hand like Angel was nothing more then just an annoying bug. Angel sighed, and turned towards the door, getting halfway across the room before she head a soft. "It's disgraceful."   
  
She whirled back towards the teacher, eyes narrowed, and bright with a posion only a tired female could possess. "Excuse me, but I don't think you hold the proper authority to tell me that to my face, nor do you have the right. My 'condition' is rather simple. I'm pregnant, for Christ's sake. Might I remind you of the fact I can be automatically moved ahead of your class, with honors, for comptempt of a student? Or would you rather me let you sink that low?"   
  
The teacher couldn't bring herself to say anything. She did in fact have Angel as a student anyway... Math, second period. And she could, in fact, be passed for contempt of student, should someone speak to the wrong person.   
  
"Oh, and by the way... I suck at math." Angel left quickly, not taking a moment to relax any until she heard the door click shut, without anyone leaving after her. "Phew." She leaned back against the locker, hands over her face. She peeked through her fingers, hearing voices around her. She ran her fingers through her long hair, watching a group of girls walk by. They looked at her curiously, smiled slightly, but kept going. "Hi, hi." Angel mocked softly, as they passed out of earshot.   
  
"Would you mind getting -off- my locker?" A girl, probably about a year younger with long, brown hair was suddenly in front of her. A couple steps behind her, was a blonde, about the same age.  
  
"Sorry, didn't know it was yours." Angel stepped a few down, eyes glued to the door, hoping to catch Ephram coming in. She knew she wouldn't have any classes with him, her being the year ahead.  
  
"Christ, what is with all the new students recently? Are we, like, spill-over central for the New York rejects?" Angel grit her teeth, but let it go, merely sending a poisonous glance in the girl's direction. She, of course, saw it, and smiled, the look only egging her on further.  
  
"And they aren't even the least bit cool. I mean, look at this."  
  
"Come on, leave her alone. She just moved. And Ephram is a good guy." The blonde look appologetically towards Angel, but she pretended not to see it.   
  
"Amy, I don't know what I'm going to do with you, honey." The brown-hair girl just laughed it off, and walked away.   
  
"I'm really sorry about that. She's got this whole popularity thing going on..." Amy smiled, and came over.   
  
"Yeah. More like superiority. And Ephram isn't just a good guy. He is the closest thing to a saint I've ever seen." The words had stung a little more than Angel thought they had, and she just kind of fell apart. Tears streamed down her face, and she took off for the nearest bathroom, leaving Amy agast.   
  
"Congratulations, you broke her." Ephram had been watching from a few yards back. "Why couldn't you just leave her be?" He was more than a little upset, and followed after Angel, shaking his head. 


	4. Chapter 4

*** A/N - Hey again. :) Computer's finally fixed! Please, keep reading. Yes, Treble Charger is a real group, check out http://www.treblecharger.com for more info. (They're a completely kick ass Canadian group, if you didn't know, whom I've seen, proudly, twice. :)) If anyone objects to me using them, please email me, and I'll make something up. Also, please note the reference to Of Mice and Men, by Jim Steinbeck. Those characters are (C) him, and the publishers of that book! -FF ***  
  
-- Chapter 4 --  
  
Angel leaned over the sink, glaring at her own reflection. "Pull yourself together. How are you going to make an impression on people looking like this?" She didn't even realize she was talking to herself until a younger girl came out of one of the stalls, eyeing her cautiously. "Sorry. Didn't realize any one was in here." The girl washed her hands quickly, and disappeared, shaking her head slightly. Angel bit one of her nails gently, not enough to break it off, but enough to leave faint white scratchmarks on the surface. "It's just you and me now, baby. And maybe Ephram." She placed a hand on her belly, hoping to feel any type of movement, but it was still far too early. "Well. Guess we should get back out there then?" She glanced absently at her watch. 8:40. 15 minutes and counting til her 'appearance'. She ran her hand under cold water, and rubbed her eyes, hoping to get rid of the redness.   
  
Ephram was leaning against the wall just outside the door, taking her into his arms when Angel came out. "I saw what happened. I'm sorry."   
  
Angel clung tightly to him, but briefly, pulling away before you could really call it a hug. "It's not your fault. I've been the new kid before. I'll get over it. I have my secret weapon." She pulled her discman out of her purse, and laughed softly. It sounded more than a little forced, and she gave up. "Treble Charger."   
  
"Eww, Canadian music." They laughed, the bell ringing loudly. "Do you wanna meet for lunch, or no?"  
  
"Sure. Just for the first little while, until I can ditch you." Angel smiled playfully. "Eph?" He raised his eyebrows, his blue eyes snapping to attention. "Nevermind."  
  
"Alright..." They seperated, heading off to their classes. Lunch came and went faster than the two expected. It was peaceful, and quiet for once in both their lives, and for the most part they ate in silence, sharing endless story with their eyes. Ephram told her about Nina, and the baby, Angel groaning the whole time. "Gross." was the only thing she could managed afterwards.   
  
"Hey, it's you next."   
  
Angel stuck out her tongue, and shook her head. "I would so much rather not." She laughed, then sighed softly. "I didn't plan this, you know. 16, pregnant, and so far from home."  
  
"Neither did I." Ephram said softly. Before either of them said anything else, the bell rang.  
  
*** ***  
  
The week passed almost uneventfully. Angel managed to keep her secret from the general school population, and she was glad Ephram was here, rather than anyone else. She argued on and off with her father and his new girlfriend, and made the school choir, as lead solo. It caused a few tensions among older members, but eventually calmed. Slowly, her jeans began to fit less, and less well, until finally, the top button wouldn't do up, and she traded them in for track pants more often.   
  
"I don't give a damn about your little Ephram friend. If you come in late one more time, you're out. I'll send you back to New York fast enough to make your head spin." Her father yelled.   
  
"You know what? Enough shit. You don't want me, I don't want to be here. Why don't you just let me get my own place? Or move in with someone?" Angel didn't want to yell anymore, and she didn't. Pleadingly, she searched her father's face for any kind of reaction from across the table.   
  
"You make the arrangments, and I don't really care what the hell you do." Angel raced up the stairs, packing a few clothes into a bag, and ran out the door, not even bothering the close the inside one. She tugged her coat on as she raced down the street, heading for Ephram's, since the two had planned on walking together today anyways. The two had regained their closeness in the past few days, and she'd made friends with Andy as well.   
  
"You're early." Andy met Angel at the door with a hug, letting her in. "Delia's eatting in the kitchen, and Ephram's in the shower."   
  
"He promised he wouldn't start without me though." She smiled sweetly, and slipped into the kitchen before he could say anything. "Morning." She rustled Delia's hair, and perched beside her. Ephram wandered in, wearing only his boxers, hair still dripping slowly, tracing a line between his shoulder blades. He ducked into the fridge before noticing anyone. "How many ribs do you think you can count on his side?" Angel whispered.  
  
Delia giggled, and tilted her head slightly, counting to herself. "I see... eight!" Delia wasn't nearly as quiet as Angel was. Ephram jumped, spraying milk everywhere. The jug hit the floor with a hollow thud, a neat, white puddle collecting in front of it. The two died, nearly falling out of their chairs with laughter.   
  
"That was talented!" Angel finally whispered, between gales of laughter. She wiped a tear from her face, still giggling rather loudly. "Good morning, Ephram."  
  
"Hi, Angel. You're early." He set the nearly empty jug on the counter, and searched through a cupboard for a towel to clean it up with. "Eight what?"   
  
"Ribs." Delia said simply, going back to her bowl of cereal. "Do you plan on getting dressed, or are you going to stand around in your underwear all day?" A horn beeped outside, Delia's bus. She disappeared quickly, leaving her half-empty bowl on the island.   
  
Angel took it over to the sink, dumping, rising, and quickly wiping it. She set it back in the cupboard, the motion almost second nature to her. She paused in front of the window, arms crossed in front of her. Ephram left, and reappeared after dressing quickly. "It's almost like we were back in New York." she said after a moment.  
  
Ephram didn't respond. "We should get going." He finally managed to force out, his voice barely above a whisper.  
  
*** ***  
  
"What do you think Mr. Steinbeck was trying to symbolize with the act of shoot Lennie like he did?" Mr. Klein was seated behind his desk, holding up his own little copy of the novella. "Angel?"  
  
"He was compairing Lennie to the dog. He was showing how the two are alike in their misery, how everyone thought they needed to be put down." Angel muttered, doodling absently on her notebook.  
  
"An excellent theory. Your such a bright young girl, Angel, you should speak up much more in class." There were a few snickers around her, and one soft comment that Angel couldn't hear, but knew it was better that she didn't. Instead, she just sent a glare of poison in the general direction of the voice.  
  
The teacher went on talking, lecturing, and letting off his own theories. Suddenly, from muffled deep in her bag, a cellphone rang. She quickly dug it out, eyes pausing on the caller ID briefly. Unknown Name, Long Distance. "Corey." She whispered, and flew from her seat into the hall. "Hello?" She didn't even breath, her voice just occured.  
  
"Hey, Angel baby. How goes?" She knew the voice only too well.  
  
"Corey."  
  
"You called?"  
  
"Your damn right I called. Ten or twelve times I called. Where have you been?" Angel was nearly shouting, and she struggled to keep her voice down.  
  
"I've been out. Partying. Trying to forget about our, 'little problem.'" There were soft voiced in the background. It sounded more like a TV then any company he may have.  
  
"Forget?! And your leaving me to live with it? It's not just my baby, Corey. You were involved in the process too. Are you stoned?"  
  
"Maybe just a little bit." Angel heart sank to the pit of her gut. She knew there was no one he'd get off it this time, and she couldn't stomach the thought of him dying.   
  
"I found Ephram. He lives here, in Everwood."  
  
"No shit."  
  
"Well, I'm sorry, I forgot. My dad kicked me out this morning. I got no where else to go." Angel whispered finally, sinking back against a locker.  
  
"So come home." Corey's voice was surprisingly sincere. "I don't like no having you here anymore. I forgot how well you took care of me."  
  
"That's because I love you." Angel felt a tear fall from her eye, and down her cheek. "Why don't you come here? We could find an apartment together. I could drop out of school and get a job..."  
  
"No. Your going to finish high school. Give me a week or so, to loose the apartment, and get some cash."   
  
Angel was silent for a moment, sliding down a locker, crossing her legs underneath her. "Really?" she whispered after a moment, glancing around. The teacher hadn't even followed her out. "No more weed. No more coke. Nothing. Promise me."  
  
"I promise. I love you." He hung up before she could say anything. Angel dropped her phone back into her purse, and sat back against the locker, eyes closed. Then, softly at first, she began to cry. 


End file.
